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Friday, June 30, 2017

Looking back, I am surprised at the amount of colour that has creeped into my wardrobe in recent years...Bright yellows, plenty of red, even pink - I seem to have an affinity for colour after all, especially primary colours, which is a surprise to someone who at one time solely wore navy, grey and black.

Even though for the longest time my answer to 'what is your favourite colour' was 'navy', I realize that I have a slight obsession with red. I mean, how many people can say their wedding gown featured some bright red (and not in the form of a sash)?

One of my favourite way of adding a pop of red on a daily basis is with lipstick. I love a clean and minimal face worn with a bold red, especially a blue-red like Clinique's Lip Pop in 'Cherry Pop'. Although I'd love to wear it as a bold lip, usually I end up patting it on with my third finger as a lipstain. Maybe because after so many years of mostly wearing 'nudes', I feel a little shocked when I see full colour on my lips. I particularly love Clinique's Lip Pop range because it is a primer + lipstick in one, and my lips are always in an embarrassingly dry state (seriously, I once popped by a Clinique counter, and the lovely SA was so horrified, she layered almost an entire tube on lip treatment on me, determined to restore my sorry lips to life - I have been trying to diligently use this lip treatment to avoid this scenario from occurring again).

Another way I love wearing my lipsticks is by layering them, especially after learning a trick from my favourite makeup artist Lisa Eldridge: patting on a bright-coloured lipstick (like Clinique's Cherry Pop), one that instantly makes you look brighter and livelier (and that perhaps you would normally save for evening), and then layer a favourite 'nude' over it (like Clinique's Mocha Pop). This technique works especially well when the nude layer worn on top has a moisturizing formulation, so Clinique's Lip Pop is perfect for this. The result? I 'bright nude' of sorts (or nude with oomph), something colour but still easy for day (there isn't usually much of a difference between my day and night looks - except perhaps a few more layers of lipstick or mascara).

This way I have managed to incorporate more colour on my face, whilst staying within my more pared-back and 'easy' makeup look I feel most comfortable with.

What is your favourite lipstick? And what is your favourite way of wearing it?

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

So instead of one's straightforward 'What I wore to (insert city) Fashion Week', I thought I'd be candid and share on how I incorporated trying to "hide" some recent weight gain into my outfit choices this year. I once wrote a post on "What to wear when your weight swings (like a yoyo)", and fast forward 9 years later, I am back in that position again. This year, however, I was (please don't judge - and don't cue any violins) 10 kgs heavier than the last 3 times I attended Mercedez Benz Fashion Week Australia (I haven't been this heavy since I was pregnant! And no, I'm not pregnant)...Yes, that's 22 or so lbs, and I wasn't even 'skinny' in previous years to start with. I won't go into the why's and what nots, but will say some contributing factors were out of my control, but many were not.

Usually when reading an article or post on 'how to dress to appear slimmer', you will read to wear head-to-toe in one colour, stick to dark colours, vertical stripes, slim silhouettes or something to that effect. But instead, I chose volume, lots of colour, and even, shock horror...prints (inc. horizontal stripes)!

I plan on posting more on each outfit at a time, but today I wanted to do a quick rundown on them.

Billowy and Voluminous Sleeves + Jumpsuit

Back to what I wore... Even in previous (slimmer) years I have not been a fan of showing my arms for some reason, and this year was no exception - plus it was much colder this year than last year, and also later in the year than the years before that. I have loved billowing and voluminous sleeves since the 80's (showing my age here, eeps), which means that now that they're 'back in' it makes for so many beautiful pieces to choose from! Two of my 'billowy sleeved' pieces I wore this year were from Ukrainian label Poustovit's upcoming Fall/Winter 2017 collection - I will be sure to dedicate a post on them later on).

I layered a voluminous blouse under my favourite jumpsuit, and loved how the paint-splattered print of the blouse peeked through the cutouts, the jumpsuit is ultra voluminous which meant I could eat at a buffet beforehand if I wanted to, without having to worry after, haha. This outfit was the closest I wore to the 'head-to-toe colour', which is probably why I love a good jumpsuit (and overalls), as it elongates the silhouette. The soft fabric and wide legs of the Tome jumpsuit make it not only extremely comfortable but also less clingy and restrictive than other options out there. I could have cinched the waist in, but I like the flowy effect it has when worn loose (even if I was at risk of being asked the dreaded question: "Are you pregnant?" - dreaded when I'm not pregnant, that is, I always feel worse for the person asking than for myself)

Blouse: Poustovit (available in a few months), Jumpsuit: Tome NYC (a few seasons old, newer version available at Farfetch), Boots: Celine, Bag: Gucci (bought directly from Gucci, also available at Saks Fifth Avenue), Sunglasses: Gucci (available directly from Gucci, or Neiman Marcus)

(n.b. Unfortunately
I ran out of luggage space/weight, and the original shoes I intended to
wear with this jumpsuit didn't make the cut, which means these weren't
the ideal choice, but ah well! First world problems...)

I recently styled a campaign and lookbook shoot for the lovely Australian-based label Binny. The collection, called 'I go to Rio', comes out later this year, and I cannot wait to share more about it with you, so watch this space. As you may know, I originally grew up in Brazil, so this collection hit extra close to home for me, and was so so fun with all its beautiful and fun prints, I just wanted to celebrate a little bit of Brazil this Fashion Week, so I asked Binny if I could wear one of my favourite pieces from the collection, who very kindly said yes. It quickly became my favourite outfit of the week...

Even though the skirt came with a (similarly) tiered strappy top, it was too cold to wear the ensemble on its own, and I really wanted to play on the colours found on the 'Tucano' print by teaming it with gorgeous orange piece by Poustovit, which is actually a dress disguising as a top under this skirt...

Another sartorial piece I have loved since the 80's is the off-shoulder top (yes, since Jennifer Beals wore that cut-off grey marle sweatshirt, it has almost become a trademark of mine). As Donna Karan once said: "The only place you never gain weight is the shoulder", which probably explains why I like showing it so much! I don't usually like 'playing it safe' with colour combinations (i.e. always pairing colours with neutrals), but instead seek out bold colour combinations. Originally I was going to wear this Self-Portrait with some khaki pants, but when this Chloe number arrived, I just had to wear it...I know wearing such a voluminous pair of trousers is a sartorial risk when one is short and stumpy, but I liked the play on shapes and colours, and I tried to break it up visually by holding this sculptural bag down low...

My sister baulked when she found out I was not only wearing a print, but that it was floral, and pink! I toughened the girlishness up with some boots, and added a sporty touch with this amazing Poustovit bomber jacket. I love how the raw edge ribbed trims on this bomber bring this fully-sequined jacket 'down to earth', I am always a fan of juxtapositions to balance a look, if that makes sense.

Unfortunately for me, the first place to show I've gained weight is on my face. Obviously, it is harder to hide weight gain on the face than it is on your body, but thankfully, there is makeup to help...

Last year I had the pleasure of attending an event with Clinique global colour pro makeup artist Damian Garozzo, who let us in on the latest complexion trend: non-touring, not to be confused with contouring.

Non-touring how-to:

1 Apply your foundation as you usually would.

2 “Then grab a slightly darker
shade (perhaps your summer foundation) and work it along your hairline,
jawline and down your cheeks. Blend well with a buffing brush,”

3 Now, brighten using a concealer (or one shade lighter than your usual foundation).
“Your concealer should be a shade lighter than your foundation,” says
Damian, “so apply it strategically to bring lightness to certain parts
of your face.” Draw three short stripes downwards from your forehead to
between your brows in a triangular shape. Do the same under your eyes,
drawing three stripes downwards from below your eyes to a point at
the top of your cheek. Draw a line down the bridge of your nose and in
the folds from your nose to your mouth. Finally, draw three little lines
under your lip to a point just above your chin, then blend well.

“The effect is subtle and multidimensional” said Damian - no paint-by-numbers look here! The look is easier, softer and simpler.

My favourite to non-tour with is Clinique's Beyond Perfecting Foundation, for many reasons. Firstly, this foundation is high coverage so it is a foundation-and-concealer in 1. You you only need dot it directly to your skin where you need it to act as a concealer, and a light swipe across the tee zone, sheering it out towards the edges of the face. A little goes a long way, and you are in control of how much coverage you get depending on your needs, and the effect you end up with is a lightweight finish that lasts all day and that is moisturizing at the same time.

Do you have any tips or tricks on how to appear slimmer and/or hide any weight gain?

ACCESSORIES

I am an accessory fiend, I love them to add a little something extra to the outfit, in terms of colour or shape or texture, and also to draw the eye away from the body and to the bag instead. In previous years I chose comfort over style and wore flats and sneakers, but this year I felt I really needed that added height (and save the flats for the other 51 weeks of the year).

Monday, May 22, 2017

I am finally back from back to back to back travel, and have some overdue posts for you! Apologies for going MIA again!

Firstly, I wanted to share with you my recent (and first ever!) trip to Perth, during which I had the privilege of watching the amazing Matilda The Musical, a multi-award winning
musical from the Royal Shakespeare Company, inspired by the beloved book
by the one and only Roald Dahl. An international hit, it has won seven Olivier Awards in the UK and five Tony Awards on Broadway.

The musical is written by playwright Dennis Kelly, with music and lyrics by Australian comedian, musician and composer Tim Minchin, and directed by Matthew Warchus. It tells the story of an extraordinary girl who, armed
with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take stand and
change her own destiny.

I won't spoil the story for you further other than to say that the music, sets, cast, ensemble, costume, singing, dancing everything, is just A M A Z I N G ! ! ! It is a definitely a must-see and I cannot wait to take lil' Brigs to see it (she LOVES singing and dancing, but has yet to watch a proper musical), there were emotional scenes and laughing out loud moments, which even Mr Brigs enjoyed immensely!

I also got the chance to go on stage the following day and also backstage to meet some of the cast, and as a huge fan of musicals, that was such an honour and treat!

The musical has since moved from Perth to Adelaide having just opened this weekend, and will run until 16th of July at the Adelaide Festival Theatre, with evening and matinee sessions as well.

Left: The costume uniforms with emblem taken directly from the illustrations of the original Matilda books written by Roald Dahl.

Right: On stage with Lucy Maunder who played Miss Honey the night of the performance I watched, stayed up with her 3 month old baby during the night, and was then about to go back on stage for two more sessions after this picture! I am in absolute awe, and take my hat off to her!

Thursday, April 27, 2017

I recently realized that next year will be my 10 year blogaversary, which means in the almost 10 years since I first started my blog, and a lot has changed in the last (almost) 10 years: I have gotten married, had not one, but two children, gained a pound (or twenty), changed careers (more than once), it has been quite a ride, thanks to those who have been riding with me!

Last year I celebrated a milestone birthday, I won't tell you which one, but you can gather I am definitely not 21 (yeah, not even close, haha), ahem...moving on. Thankfully (for me) I have never been one to panic about birthdays or getting older, I think it is because I see how young and sprightly my own mother is, and how neither of us really think of who we are in terms of how our age. Age truly is just a number, really.

Having said that, there are areas that have started to think smarter about, about how to take better care of my body and myself:

Diet
I gave up eating two macarons for breakfast every morning when my
daughter told me: "Mommy, when I grow up, I'm going to eat macarons for
breakfast just like you". Eeps, talk about role model! I have tried
choosing better fuel for my body, despite my love for food (I love
healthy and unhealthy foods, I'm just trying to stay on the healthier
side most of the time), not only because I then feel better (in the last
few years my body has been increasingly telling me to eat better, as I
certainly don't feel good when I eat too much refined sugars and such).
And of course, being a role model to my children. I am so diligent
about teaching them good eating habits, I should follow what I preach,
so that is what I'm trying to do now.

Exercise

Ok, I used to love exercising before I had children, and I know having children is not an excuse not an exercise. But for the past 7+ years, I have not set foot in a gym, did 3 pilates sessions last year (and didn't follow through), and now my body is paying for it (and I don't even mean the many pounds I've gained), my back (and shoulder!) have finally said: enough is enough, and now I need to change my ways. All those years of carrying kids with one arm, and bending over to take flatlay shots have not treated my body well, so I am determined to start moving again, and strengthening my back with pilates again. I also want to start cycling regularly, I prefer incidental exercise as opposed to pounding a treadmill...

Skincare

I have been blessed somewhat in that I have never done much with my skin, and have gotten away with it. My mom has nice skin and both my grandmothers did too. In fact, my beloved maternal grandmother's favourite skincare product was simply Clinique's 'yellow moisturizer' (as I called it, now referring to its proper name: Dramatically Different Daily Moisturizer), which was a staple of hers for decades, proving that it is a bestseller for a reason. In addition to using Clinique's 'yellow moisturizer' (DDDM) as part of my 3-step skincare regime I also love their 'Smart' serum and moisturizer (and treatment oil - not pictured below), because these products understand the particular needs of my skin, even before I even know what those needs may be. It is a multitasker, whether you need to visibly erase wrinkles, even skin tone, firm or hydrate, it does it all, so I don't have to sit down and figure out the 1001 different products I need to use (it also anticipates a breakout before it happens - so smart!)

Ok, this is one area I have never quite changed because of my age, and that is probably because I dress for whatever shape I am in, and not so much the age. My love for wearing Mickey Mouse shirts and overalls has not changed, but I do find myself dressing for comfort more and more each days, even though I do love dressing up now and then.

What have you found yourself doing as you grow older, I mean, smarter?

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Those who know me, and/or have followed me here or on Instagram for a while, will know of my deep and serious love for food; some eat to live, I live to eat...

I recently had the pleasure of attending a 'Miele Kitchen
Experience' complimentary pre-purchase class at Miele's Experience Centre, and boy, was it an eye-opener! Literally! My eyes were seriously as wide as teacups throughout the entire 90 minute cooking demonstration, as my mind was being blown away by how innovative their kitchen technology was! I am a long-time fan of Miele appliances myself, having previously bought a dishwasher (which is sadly now in my old house - I miss it dearly), and have just recently purchased their washing machine and dryer, which I both love. But...I never knew that kitchen appliances could be so amazing and technologically advanced. Every Miele kitchen appliance and accessory (e.g. their pans, probes, etc.) has been to designed to help make things easier for the home cook: easier to use, easier to cook, easier to clean.

The 'Miele KitchenExperience Class' is primarily intended for those who are considering investing in a Miele kitchen or appliance, so they can see firsthand these innovative appliances in action, watching delicious dishes being cooked right in front of their eyes with said appliances. I was one of 6 attending this class, which was both a relaxed and enjoyable experience. The other 5 attendees were either renovating their kitchen or building a house, wanting to find out which appliances would best suit their needs. Just like when you buy a car and take it for a test drive, when investing in kitchen appliances, it's important to experience what you will use everyday for most of your life. This is an ingenious way of witnessing these appliances in action, rather than simply reading through brochures and listening to Sales Assistants (as helpful as they may be, nothing beats seeing things in action, right?). The Miele Experience Centre also offers post-purchase (owner) demonstrations for when you have already purchased your appliance, and want to learn how to best use your shiny new toy. This is something I promptly informed my mother-in-law, who recently refurbished her kitchen with Miele appliances, but was not aware of these demonstrations.

But onto my 'Miele Kitchen Experience':

Miele's Wall of Fame (sorry, I just coined that), but Miele's incredible range of built-in appliances, which includes a Steam Combination Oven with Moisture Plus (an oven that can burst steam onto whatever you are cooking, without having to open the door oven while it cooks!), a Speed Oven, a Pressure Cooker, Sous vide, and this Vacuum Sealing Drawer:

Miele's Vaccum Sealing drawer for their Sous vide appliance.

Turning simple ingredients into something spectacular...

'Miele Home Economists' Daniel and Clare in action - have both previously worked in commercial kitchens and work full-time at Miele to share their expertise (even if not during a demonstration).

The best part of the cooking demonstration? Eating the food after it is cooked! Although this heirloom tomato salad may look relatively simple, the flavours were other-worldly, thanks to the Basil sugar syrup that was vacuum sealed in Miele's Vacuum Sealing Drawer and Sous Vide in Miele's Oven on Sous-vide setting, which was later vacuum sealed in Miele's Vacuum Sealing Drawer once more, this time with the green tomatoes, for maximum flavour. The Sous vide method ensured he basil remained vibrant in colour and flavours are intensified into each little piece of green tomato.

Chive Japanese milk bread - cooked in the Steam Combination Oven with Moisture Plus function, with one burst of steam released during baking period without the
oven having to be opened.

The steam helps conduct the heat, giving it that beautifully golden brown crust...

The best thing about Miele oOvens is that they mostly don't even require pre-heating, as the ovens reach and maintain the required temperature very quickly, which is absolutely brilliant (I personally hate waiting for the oven to pre-heat)!

Shio koji chicken in the making - these amazing Miele Ovens not only have a touch screen, but can also save several settings for each favourite recipe you may have! It gives you instructions of each required step (e.g. insert wireless probe, etc.), and does all the controlling for you, amazing!

Shio koji chicken with summer vegetables cooked in Miele's Steam CombinationOven to perfection with the greens coming out a vibrant green, due to the air being expelled when the door closes before steaming...amazing! The chicken was cooked in a Steam Combination mode, which allows you to control the moisture (70% for this chicken), core temperature (70 degrees - with a wireless probe!) - yes, my jaw dropped with this one.

Blueberry and pecan galette baked in the oven with the 'Intensive Bake' setting for the ultimate pastry crust...

Served with crème fraîche whipped up by Miele's Culinary Experts by using the Steam Combination Oven! Is there anything they cannot do in this kitchen?

Miele collaborate with professional chefs like Shannon Bennett and Maggie Beer to create recipes, exclusive to Miele, and have over 1000 recipes on their website. They even have cookbooks with recipes created especially for Miele appliances. In his role as Miele ambassador, Shannon has trained a team of Miele Culinary
Experts, sharing his cooking techniques, recipe suggestions
and passion for quality. And it is this knowledge that is than shared with us attending the Miele Experience classes.

Thank you Miele for the eye-opening experience and for feeding me (thank you Daniel and Clare!).

This post is written in collaboration with Miele, thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

More often than not, my love for fashion extends beyond the fact that it is simply clothing, shoes or accessories...On occasion I view of them as art...Whether it is a beautiful embroidery or embellished piece, a beautiful textile, or exquisite tailoring, fashion can be art...

Case in point: these Céline Trapezoid Mules, I could just stare at its lines and get lost in its geometry, isn't it a work of art?

Also love the simplicity of this square bracelet by Italian jewellery designer Caterina Zangrando, it can also double as a desk accessory, don't you think?

Also wearing Lemaire's latest range for Uniqlo's UniqloU range (which I absolutely LOVE! Might deserve its own blogpost, I think)

Thursday, March 2, 2017

I don't know about you, but I am one of those annoying
people who stand in the aisle studiously staring at the Nutritional Information
Panel on a shelf item before placing it into my shopping trolley. Being
in charge of the grocery shopping in my household means I am very conscious of
what I buy to feed Mr Brigs and my two little ones, to ensure I am contributing
to their health and nutrition whenever possible with choices that help
contribute to a balanced diet.

In recent yearsthe Health Star Rating(HSR) system has been introduced,
which has greatly helped me when choosing a product in the supermarket
aisle. The Health Star Rating is a voluntary front-of-pack food labelling
system which provides an at-a-glance comparison using stars, from half a star
to five, between similar packaged and processed food.

The Health Star Rating of each product is based on the
amount of saturated fat, sugar and sodium it contains per 100g or 100ml, as
well as its total energy (kilojoules). High amounts of saturated fat,
sugars, sodium (salt) and energy (kilojoules) are considered negative factors,
as they are linked to an increased risk of obesity and diet-related chronic
disease, such as cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes, if consumed in
excess of dietary guidelines. Products may score extra points and
potentially higher ratings depending on the proportion of positive ingredients
they contain such as fibre, fruit, nut, legume, vegetables and protein.

Essentially, the more stars on the
front of pack, the healthier the choice.

This HSR system provides an easy way for me to quickly
compare similar packaged products (rather than studying each product for as
long as I used to), to choose the healthier option. Not all stars are
created equal though, the 1 star on the 'cheese + crackers' is not to be
compared with the stars on the sardines, for example. The system is used to
compare between similar products. I can compare breakfast cereals with
breakfast cereals or muesli bars with muesli bars for example, but not between
vastly different products, such as yoghurt and frozen lasagne. The system
makes it easier for us to identify the healthier option, enabling us to compare
products in the same section of the supermarket and help us think more about
nutrition when buying food.

Currently more than 5,500 products from at least 115 companies,
carry the Health Star Rating. The system has also influenced manufacturers to
reformulate their products to improve their nutrient profile, resulting in
improved health star ratings, a win win for all.

A few items in my pantry and fridge:

At the supermarket:

and how I quickly throw just a few simple ingredients for a healthy breakfast and/or snack of chia seed pudding (below):

The HSR system has even been helpful when shopping for the little ones as they ask for those sugary cereals, and I point out the low-star rating, so we chose a higher star-rated cereal instead. It helps stir their interest in choosing the right foods, and discuss nutrition, which extends the information they already gaining at Kindy and Primary School.In fact, even my littlest one always asks me: "Mummy, is this one healthy?"

We all know balanced lunchbox should contain a
variety of nutritious foods from each of the five food groups – grains,
fruits, vegetables, dairy and protein. If you include
packaged snacks in lunchboxes (or just as a snack at the desk) in addition to fresh fruit and vegetables, the Health Star Rating can be a helpful
tool to help choose between similar packaged and processed products (for example, a well-advertised and popular lunchbox 'snack bar' only had 1 star, so I opted for the 4 star bar below, and similarly the 1 star cheese and cracker pack, as opposed to the half-star pack that was sitting next to it on the refrigerated shelf:

If
you want to find out more about the HSR, the FAQs on the HSR official website
are very helpful to answer some questions.

What about you, have you used the HSR to help you choose your shopped items?

I do receive gifts and collaborate with brands, but only do so with those I genuinely love. It is my wholehearted effort to keep the content of the site honest and true to my own thoughts and aesthetic.